This Creamy Fruit Salad Recipe is made with a Homemade Vanilla Fruit Salad Dressing, plus strawberries, blueberries, oranges, grapes, kiwi and blackberries — no pudding mix here!
Looking for more fun fruit salads? Try this Grape Salad Recipe, Hawaiian Fruit Salad Recipe or Cranberry Raspberry Pretzel Salad next!
Warm weather is on the way and that means it’s fruit salad season!
This Creamy Fruit Salad is made with a homemade vanilla fruit salad dressing that we absolutely love. I love a shortcut as much as the next person, but homemade custard is just one thing that can’t be beat.
We even love it on its own, poured warm over some of these Whole Wheat Pancakes or French Toast Casserole, with loads of fresh fruit!
What fruit can you put in fruit salad?
Whatever you want! But here are some tips:
- Skip the bananas: I know, there are some who throw them in but I find the whole salad tastes like banana, and they tend to get soft and mushed pretty quickly.
- Stick to fruit you enjoy! This seems like an obvious one, but if you don’t enjoy the flavor or texture of a certain fruit, even one in the recipe below, just leave it out! Chances are you won’t enjoy it in fruit salad either.
- Aim for an equal amount of each fruit, though I like to go a little heavier on the strawberries here because we love them.
Fruit Salad Tips & Tricks:
- This fruit salad is naturally vegetarian, egg free and gluten free, just be sure to check all of your packages and ensure nothing has been contaminated before serving to those with allergies.
- You can easily make this fruit salad recipe dairy free and vegan by using almond or coconut milk.
- You can boost the protein by adding a little plain Greek yogurt to the dressing before serving.
- Fruit salad generally doesn’t keep and shouldn’t be made in advance, though I’ve included a few tips below to prep the different components ahead and make your life a little easier!
Tips for prepping fruit salad ahead
- If you want to make the recipe and have it keep for several hours, be sure to use strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes and stay away from the very juicy or acidic fruit like oranges, pineapple and kiwi. They will release a lot of juices in just a few hours, so if you add them, be sure you are serving right away and won’t have a lot left over. Otherwise, stick to berries and grapes to be safe.
- Make the dressing a day or two in advance, store in the fridge and then just combine before serving. The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week if you use the freshest ingredients possible.
- You can also simply have your fruit washed and chopped in the fridge, then you are ready to throw this fruit salad together at a moment’s notice.
More fruity desserts you’ll love!
- Try this Any Fruit Crisp recipe if you’ve got leftover berries or a stash of fruit in the freezer — it’s super customizable!
- This Cream Cheese Fruit Dip is perfect for dipping any leftover fruit.
- Fruit Pizza is a fun dessert that works well with whatever fruit you have left over.
- Or use it in one of these 30+ Healthy Smoothie Recipes or one of our favorite smoothie recipes.
Creamy Fruit Salad Recipe with Homemade Dressing
written by Ashley Fehr
This Creamy Fruit Salad Recipe is made with a Homemade Vanilla Fruit Salad Dressing — no pudding mix here!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups low fat milk
- ¼ cup granulated sugar, (reduce to 3 tablespoons for less sweet dressing)
- 1½ tablespoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered, (260 grams)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, (150 grams)
- 1 cup fresh blackberries, (135 grams)
- 1 cup mandarin oranges, canned, drained of juice (189 grams or 284ml can)
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, (155 grams)
- 1 cup red grapes, (173 grams)
- 2 kiwi, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, whisk together milk, sugar and corn starch. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 8-10 minutes (it won't be thick like pudding, it is a dressing — but it will thicken considerably).
- Stir in vanilla. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (you can speed this up by refrigerating for 30 minutes).
- In a large bowl combine strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, oranges, kiwi, pineapple and grapes. Whisk the cooled dressing and pour over fruit. Toss to coat (be gentle — you don't want mush!).
- Serve at room temperature or chill to serve later. If making ahead, only add the dressing 1-2 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
*One serving is roughly 1 cup
Variations and substitutions:
- Fruit: feel free to use only the fruit you enjoy, just be careful not to add too many acidic fruits as they do thin the dressing over time.
- Milk: you can use any kind of milk in here, including whole milk for a richer dressing or dairy-free milk for a dairy-free option.
- Sugar: you can reduce the sugar to 3 tablespoons for a less sweet dressing, or use honey or another sweetener instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 133cal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 22mg, Potassium: 337mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 347IU, Vitamin C: 55mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Babs says
I use Greek yogurt and cream whip as a dressing or just Vanilla Krema Yogurt and better for you.
Charlotte says
Can you use apples in this my friend is allergic to strawberries
Kim Fey says
Could I throw some coconut in this or will it ruin it?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kim! I don’t necessarily think it would ruin it, it’s a pretty forgiving recipe. Enjoy!
Yvonne says
I have allot of fruit to use up and found your recipe.
I can’t wait to try this.
The reviews are excellent
The Recipe Rebel says
Hope you enjoy it Yvonne!
Melodie says
If there are leftovers does it store well?
The Recipe Rebel says
It sure does!
Sandi says
Made this for Christmas brunch, it was a hit! No leftovers! Had to make it again so I could enjoy it for breakfast the rest of the week!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Sandi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
JP says
This dressing is super light and tasty. I used whole milk plus a drizzle of cream to lean more to the fat side with all the strawberry & pineapple acid we have. The sauce is so good, I had to resist the urge to grab a straw.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi JP! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Anne says
Just wondering, have tried adding a touch of cinnamon to your dressing as a fall/holiday option or would that not work?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Anne, I have not but I’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Anne Powell says
Will be sharing with family tomorrow. The glaze tastes yummy.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad!
Cesia says
So so good! I used almond milk rather than 1% for a vegan version and it came out so well. Thank you!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cesia! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Jackie says
Just made this. Super delicious dressing! Thank you
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Jackie!
Connie Castro says
This was Awesome! It’s a very big hit in my home and will be making this alot. Down here in Florida this is a year round treat. Delicious 👍
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Connie!
Craig M Thompson says
I haven’t tried this fruit salad yet . But I agree with you about the Bananas, taking over and the first fruit to break down.
Maybe one can make the fruit salad, and each person should they want, slice some up in their own bowl.🤷
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a great idea!